So your company has an exciting announcement you want to shout from the rooftop, but how do you effectively share your message in a way that puts you in front of your key stakeholders? That’s where the press release wire service shines. Essentially, a press release is a formal written announcement that conveys your big news in an effort to gain media attention and backlinks to your website. It’s also pretty useful in growing your brand visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results.

But writing a press release isn’t enough. You need to get it in the hands of those who cover your niche and can share your message with their readers. While there are several ways to accomplish this, publishing your press release on a wire service is not only a quick and effective way to distribute your message globally, it can also increase your brand presence, build authority in your industry and land your company in those coveted Google and Bing search results.

There are MANY PR wire services on the market, with varying price points based on word count, distribution pick-up, reporting and more. Choosing the right platform can feel daunting.

Let’s simplify the process and take a look at the industry’s most popular PR wire services. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect.

Comparison of Press Release Wire Services
**All costs below based on a 750 word press release sent to North America distribution

PR Newswire
Cost: About $2,500
Reach: 4,500 U.S. websites including Yahoo! Finance, MarketWatch and Business Journals, 3K newsrooms like The New York Times, ABC News, and BuzzFeed, more than 550 news content systems like Moody’s, SmartBriefs, and LexisNexis and 39K active monthly journalists
Turn around: Within hours, or scheduled in advance

PR Newswire is often considered the industry leader in wire services with a large platform and a robust reporting system. PR Newswire can distribute your press release within hours and also offers a wide range of additional services, such as multichannel marketing and targeted influencer outreach.

That said, PR Newswire comes at a cost. A press release for national distribution starts at $815 for the first 400 words, which includes your boilerplate, and that rate increases for every 100 words. If you go with regional distribution, those all start at different rates. And then there are the fees for your logo and additional media assets. As you can imagine, that adds up quickly, and pricing can start to feel convoluted.
If you have a large budget, PR Newswire could be a good option for you, but that’s not the case for everyone. When dollars are tight, I don’t recommend spending a large portion of your budget on a wire service. Instead, you’re better off combining a more affordable platform with personalized, targeted media relations.

Cision PRWeb
Cost: Advanced Package - $289/release, no word count restriction
Reach: 1,200+ websites, powered by PR Newswire / Cision
Turn around: 24 hour turnaround for next day distribution

PRWeb is the more economical sister to PR Newswire and reaches a network of 1,200+ websites. You can choose from a variety of packages with different price points, which range from $99 to $389 flat rate for 800 words or fewer. The basic package hosts your press release on PRWeb.com while the most advanced package offers web syndication, social media integration and the capability to directly contact industry influencers.

If you go with an advanced package, PRWeb also offers unlimited media assets, which is a great value-add. I like PRWeb because you don’t get nickeled and dimed while receiving valuable online placement, although the web interface is rather clunky and 24 hour turnaround is not ideal for everyone. For clients on a budget, PRWeb is your best choice.

eReleases
Cost: About $700
Reach: More than 4,500 websites, databases and online services
Turn around: 24 hour turnaround for next day distribution

eReleases is a reseller of PR Newswire, which gives eReleases distribution to the PR Newswire network. In addition to PR Newswire, eReleases also distributes to the AP Newswire as well as its own network comprised of opted-in journalists.

eReleases offers three packages that start at $299 and go up to $499 for the base rate. The low-end package includes 400 words while the top-tier package includes 600 words. As far as turnaround time, you can request same-day distribution for a fee. Otherwise, all press releases are scheduled before 9:00 am Eastern -- although the platform will not allow you to specify an exact time for distribution. For the price and reach, eReleases is another good option for companies on a budget.

Business Wire
Cost: Approximately $1,550
Reach: Distribution to 89,000+ news outlets
Turn around: Immediately, or scheduled in advance

Business Wire follows a similar model to PR Newswire in that the first 400 words for national distribution are $760 and $195 for each additional 100 words. You can schedule your distribution several weeks ahead of time or immediately. That scheduling flexibility can definitely be helpful — particularly for tech companies who move quickly. As a business-focused wire, Business Wire also complies with SEC regulations, which is useful for certain niches.

Like PR Newswire, Business Wire is one of the pricier wire services, for large companies with large budgets. If you need that immediate turnaround, Business Wire is a great option, but when your budget is tight, look for a more economical solution.

Newswire
Cost: Premium Plus - $359/release, no word count restriction
Reach: 250+ media outlets & PR Newswire’s network of more than 4,500+ news outlets
Turn around: 24 hour editorial review

Newswire offers four distribution packages: Premium, Premium Plus, State Newsline and National Newsline. The four packages run between $119 and $1,199 with the Premium Plus package being the most popular at $359. In addition to its own proprietary network, you have access to PR Newswire’s extensive network, plus syndication to Google News, Yahoo News!, Business Journals Network, Reuters, and Associated Press.

With Newswire, I particularly like that you can add up to four images as well as embed video, so if you have a media-heavy announcement, this could be a good option. Keep in mind, Newswire operates on a 24-hour editorial review turnaround. In addition to its wire service, Newswire also offers monthly and annual packages that include managing your media database, media monitoring and influencer relations management. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive solution than just wire distribution, Newswire is worth exploring.

GlobeNewswire by Intrado
Cost: $1200
Reach: 3,500 news outlets including AP Mobile, Associated Press (AP), Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Dow Jones, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Yahoo! Finance
Turn around: 24 hour turnaround for next day distribution

Intrado (formerly West) purchased GlobeNewswire from Nasdaq in early 2018. Given its investment and financial background, Intrado can help public companies ensure they meet the necessary SEC filing requirements. Intrado also offers you the chance to embed a carousel of images, audio, video and live streaming into your press releases for an incremental fee.

A U.S. national release runs $580 for the first 400 words. From there, each 100 words costs another $190 while two images run about $115. The platform offers next-day turnaround. For publicly traded companies, Intrado is a popular option.

Blockchain Wire
Cost: $795/release, no word count restriction
Turn around: 24 hour turnaround for next day distribution

Blockchain Wire, which is a division of West, specifically focuses on news regarding blockchain, distributed ledger technology companies, and STOs as well as other blockchain and cryptocurrency-related announcements. You can choose among the three platforms Blockchain Wire offers, all of which are priced at a flat rate of $795.

1. ICO Wire: Dedicated to ICO and STO news.
2. Blockchain Wire: A comprehensive platform for public and private blockchain along with DLT news.
3. Crypto Wire: Focused on public blockchains and links to CoinMarketCap.
   

Given the niche nature of blockchain journalism, Blockchain Wire is a great way to hyper target your press releases if that happens to be your industry.

When do press releases get the most views?
Over 50% of all press release are published Tuesday - Thursday, when they are most likely to be seen by reporters following your beat. If you’re trying to bury your news announcement, publish your release end of day on Friday… on a holiday.

Send Your Next Press Release
Of course, choosing the right wire service is just one piece to securing media coverage. An effective press release takes a finely tuned message, a newsworthy angle and a thoughtful pitching strategy that goes beyond a wire service’s distribution network.

We’d love to chat about how we can help you craft a media-ready press release and select the right distribution network to share your message. If you’re ready to share your company’s latest exciting announcement and enhance your brand identity, please get in touch.

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